Maudslay State Park
Newburyport, MA
| Venue type | State Park |
| Location | Newburyport, MA |
| Published price | From $45 |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony only |
What the venue publishes
Massachusetts DCR special event permit fee schedule: "Special event application fee $45.00 (Fee to be paid at time of application and separate from any event costs.)" The per-day outdoor venue rental fees apply only to commercial for-profit applicants, not private weddings.
$45 is the lowest published rate for this space. Day, season, and residency can move it up.
DCR lists Maudslay State Park in Newburyport among the most popular state parks for weddings. The $45 is the statewide DCR special event application fee and is a floor, not a full quote - additional event costs are billed if DCR staff, equipment, or services are needed. Apply at least 45 days ahead through the EEA ePLACE portal; a $1,000,000 Certificate of Liability Insurance naming the Commonwealth and DCR is required at least 14 days before the event. Contact the park at 978-465-7223 to check availability. Note the separately operated Maudslay Arts Center on the grounds is a private venue with its own pricing.
Published on mass.gov, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in Boston
$45 is the 2nd lowest published starting price of the 32 venues listed in the Boston metro. The metro median starting price is $300, and 27 of the 32 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 3 state park listings in the metro it ranks 1st lowest, against a median of $45 for that type.
Cheaper published prices in Boston metro
This listing in Boston metro publishes a starting price below $45.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts One-Day Marriage Designation (Solemnizer Certificate)Boston, MA · Other Venue | $25 | not published |
Other state park listings in Boston
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Borderland State ParkNorth Easton, MA · State Park | From $45 | not published |
| Walden Pond State ReservationConcord, MA · State Park | From $45 | not published |
Marriage license in Essex County, MA
The venue fee above does not include the license. Newburyport sits in Essex County, MA, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | City or town clerk of the municipality where the notice of intention is filed; Massachusetts has no county marriage license officeBeverly City Clerk, 191 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA 01915; Gloucester City Clerk, City Hall, 9 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930; Newbury Town Clerk, 12 Kent Way, Suite 101, Byfield, MA 01922; Newburyport City Clerk, 60 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950; Salem City Clerk, 93 Washington Street, Salem, MA 01970 |
| License fee | Fees are set per municipality, so there is no single Essex County fee. Beverly: 'The fee for a marriage license is $25.' Gloucester: 'Fee: $40.00 (includes one complimentary certified copy of the marriage certificate - cash or check payment accepted).' Newbury: 'the fee in the Town of Newbury is $25.00. This fee entitles you to 2 free copies of your marriage license, after the wedding.' Newburyport: 'The fee for a Marriage License is $30.00.' Salem: '$40 (as of August 1, 2020, fee includes one certified copy of your marriage certificate).' |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| License valid for | 60 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | valid photo identification or other proof of age; Newbury and Easton note a birth certificate may be required to show proof of age |
| Apply online | In person only |
| Same-day issue | Not issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | OfferedVaries by municipality. Newburyport: justice of the peace services by appointment inside City Hall during regular hours, usually in City Council Chambers with a maximum of 8 people, 'The fee for this service is $100 payable by cash or check.' Beverly: 'The City Clerk's Office has two justices of the peace who can perform marriage ceremonies,' with no fee published. Gloucester, Newbury and Salem do not publish a clerk ceremony service. Gloucester separately issues a $300 Parks Department wedding permit for city beaches and parks, which is a venue permit and not an officiant service. |
| Witnesses | None required by statute |
Source: salemma.gov, gloucester-ma.gov, cityofnewburyport.com, malegislature.gov
The three day wait falls between filing the intention and picking up the license, not between the license and the ceremony; Gloucester publishes the pickup table (sign Monday, pick up Thursday). Both parties must appear together in all five municipalities, with narrow exceptions for active duty military, incarceration, and in Newburyport a doctor's verification of impending death.
How the metro prices out
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